Glenolden is a borough of roughly 7,200 people in southeastern Delaware County, Pennsylvania, tucked right alongside I-95 at Exit 12B and about nine miles from Center City Philadelphia. It is the kind of town where you can step out your front door, walk to a SEPTA Regional Rail station that has been there since 1872, and be on a train toward the city within minutes. It also happens to sit next door to one of the most underrated outdoor spots in the region: the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum.
If you have been house-hunting around Upper Chichester and Boothwyn and want a place with a similar blue-collar warmth but its own train station and an even closer run to the airport, Glenolden belongs on your shortlist. It is affordable, friendly, and far more connected than its small size suggests.
A Borough Named for a Mill, Built Around the Railroad
Glenolden was incorporated as a borough on November 15, 1894, carved out of Ridley and Darby Townships. Its name comes from the Glen Olden Mill, which local mill owner Ephraim Ridgeway named for the scenic glen nearby and his mother's maiden name, Olden. Before the borough grew, most of the land belonged to the Knowles family, who had held it since the 1770s, with a 170-acre dairy farm called Peach Hill covering the area north of MacDade Boulevard.
What turned this farmland into a town was the Pennsylvania Railroad. Glenolden Station opened in 1872, and the borough grew into a commuter hub for Philadelphia workers, the way so many Delaware County towns did. Today that same station, at 83 East Glenolden Avenue on the Wilmington/Newark Line, still anchors the neighborhood, and the town keeps the compact, neighborly character those rail roots built.
Getting Around: A Train Station, I-95, and the Airport Minutes Away
Glenolden's location is its superpower. The borough sits right off I-95 at Exit 12B, and Philadelphia International Airport is only about four to five miles away, a drive that often lands in the single-digit minutes. That makes Glenolden one of the closest residential communities to PHL in the whole region, which travelers and frequent-flyer families love.
For commuters who prefer the train, Glenolden's own SEPTA Regional Rail station on the Wilmington/Newark Line reaches Suburban Station in Center City in roughly 20 to 25 minutes, with a commuter parking lot right at the station. SEPTA bus Route 113 also runs along Chester Pike and MacDade Boulevard, connecting to the Darby Transit Center and 69th Street Transportation Center. Add a 20-to-25-minute I-95 drive to Center City, and you have a town that works for drivers and rail riders alike.
Interboro School District Serves Glenolden
Glenolden is served by the Interboro School District, which also takes in Norwood, Prospect Park, and Tinicum Township. Most borough kids attend Glenolden School on South Smith Street for grades 1 through 8, and then move up to Interboro Senior High School on 16th Avenue and School Lane in nearby Prospect Park, about a five-minute drive away. The district offers Advanced Placement courses, career and technical education pathways, athletics, and performing arts programs, with active parent-teacher groups across its schools.
Because school questions are personal, I always walk families through the specific schools, bus routes, and programs that fit their situation. For the full rundown on the district, the housing stock, and the numbers behind the town, my complete Glenolden community guide goes into the details with your coffee handy.
What the Housing Looks Like
Glenolden's housing stock is mostly older single-family homes and brick rowhomes built between the early 1900s and the 1950s, sitting on modest lots with front porches and driveways. You will find classic Philadelphia-style rowhomes, twin homes, Cape Cods, bungalows, and small detached houses on tree-lined streets. It is the kind of neighborhood-scale housing that gives older Delaware County boroughs their charm, and it is notably more affordable than some of the bigger-name Delco towns.
Most buyers in Glenolden are first-timers and young families who want proximity to the city and the airport without the city price tag. If you are weighing Glenolden against a similar town like Folsom or Ridley Park, the value story here is a strong one, and I can walk you through how the neighborhoods compare.
Glenolden Park and the Big Marsh Next Door
Glenolden Park, at 283 West Knowles Avenue, is a 26-acre community park with playgrounds, shaded walking trails, ballfields, and a gazebo, and it hosts youth sports leagues and community events through the year. It is the kind of neighborhood park where kids play after school and families spread out for a Saturday.
The real draw for nature lovers, though, is just down the road: the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum, which protects the largest remaining freshwater tidal marsh in Pennsylvania, right in Delaware County. With miles of trails, a boardwalk over the marsh, and excellent bird watching, it is a hidden gem minutes from Glenolden's front doors, and one of the best free outdoor escapes in the region.
Where to Eat on MacDade Boulevard and Chester Pike
Glenolden's dining scene hugs MacDade Boulevard and Chester Pike. Locals swing by Falone's on Chester Pike for steaks, hoagies, and wings, or 39 North Taproom and Grille on MacDade Boulevard for a neighborhood gastropub meal. The Fainting Goat on South MacDade is a go-to for craft beer and pub fare, Hong Kong Chinese on Chester Pike handles takeout nights, and Nifty Fifty's just up MacDade in Folsom is a beloved spot for burgers and shakes. It is casual, welcoming, and refreshingly unpretentious, exactly the way Delco eats.
When you want more, Media's State Street, with its restaurants, bars, and live music, is about fifteen minutes away. Between the local joints and the bigger strip just up the road, Glenolden has you covered for everything from a quick slice to a sit-down dinner.
Who Is Glenolden a Good Fit For?
Glenolden suits buyers who want genuine value, a short commute, and a real sense of community. If your ideal is a brick home on a quiet street, a train station you can walk to, an airport run measured in minutes, and a big marsh for weekend walks, this borough checks a lot of boxes at a price that is hard to beat in Delaware County.
It also welcomes longtime locals and newcomers alike, with active neighborhood groups and community events that make it easy to plug in. If you are comparing Glenolden with the towns you have already toured around Upper Chichester, this is one worth spending an afternoon in.
Come See the Train-Stop Town With the Marsh in Its Backyard
Glenolden is one of those Delaware County towns that quietly delivers: a station that has carried commuters since 1872, a 26-acre park in the middle of town, the airport close enough to smell the runway, and the largest freshwater tidal marsh in Pennsylvania around the corner. It is affordable, friendly, and better connected than most places its size.
When you are ready to look seriously at Delaware County homes, I would love to help. As a Realtor licensed in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, I guide buyers across Delco, from 115 Louise Dr in Upper Chichester to the train towns near the airport. Call me at 267-977-0304, or book a quick chat, and let me show you around. You can also find more seller and buyer reads at AndreRichardson.com.
Andre Richardson
Realtor · HomeSmart Realty Advisors · PA RS349905 · NJ 1969348